I met with a founder who’s building an interesting product in the real estate space. Toward the end of our chat, I asked a few questions about his big vision. The conversation took another direction. He opened a document he’d created for internal use. It highlighted where he thinks the industry is going and a comprehensive platform that would support the industry’s new direction and change the landscape. The product we had discussed at the beginning of our meeting was a small piece of this comprehensive platform.

This founder has a big vision and strong opinions about where he thinks this market is headed and the problems he sees holding the industry up. But he didn’t lead with his big vision or the big problem —he just mentioned them in passing toward the end of his pitch. Understanding his big vision was a game changer for me. It got the wheels in my head turning —I realized he could fundamentally change real estate if he’s right.

Sometimes founders are gun-shy and don’t want to share their big dream or vision for fear of scaring investors off. So, they share only the first step. I’m not a fan of that approach. I think founders should be open and share their big visions and the first steps to making it a reality. Sure, some people won’t agree, but that’s OK. You’ll likely get interesting perspectives that will be helpful, and you may even find someone who buys in and wants to support your big dream.

If you’re an early founder, dream big—and don’t be afraid to share those grand dreams with others!